The background of the invention will be discussed in two parts.
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to stands for sporting apparatus, and more particularly to a fishing pole stand or holder which may be used to transport fishing rods, as well as to retain the rods in a compact arrangement on a fishing craft.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Fishing is a very popular sport. Most avid fisherman have many fishing rods, of different sizes and lengths, each having an intended purpose for different fish and fishing conditions. On one fishing expedition, a fisherman may take several rods along for personal use; and, in many instances may take along several rods for family members or others in the fishing party. Fishing rod and accessory organizers or caddies are popular accessories with fisherman.
One such fishing rod and reel caddy is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,311,262, entitled "Rod and Reel Caddy", such patent issuing on Jan. 19, 1982 to Morin. The caddy includes a box-like structure including first and second members spaced from a bottom support and from each other with the spaced members having openings therein aligned relative to one another for receiving a handle of a fishing rod. The openings are large enough to receive the rod handles but small enough to preclude the reel passing through. The apparatus includes a member which serves as a carrying handle.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,671,009, entitled "Boat Fishing Organizer Formed as Basket-like Structure With Attachment Means for Fishing Accessories", issued to Faunce on June 9, 1987, such patent disclosing a basket-like receptacle formed of an open rod or wire construction and having hooks configured for mounting on the gunwale of a boat, the receptacle including wire loop portions for retaining a fishing net, a projecting tube for receiving a spool of line, and a hook and projection for retaining a tube configured for receiving the handle of a fishing rod.
Another similar apparatus is shown and described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,696,122, entitled "Fishing Rod Holder/Carrier", such patent issuing to Van Der Zyl on Sept. 29, 1987, such patent disclosing a frame having first and second supports attached to opposite ends of the frame with legs operatively attached to the first support, one to each end thereof. A second set of legs are similarly attached to the other support, the two sets of legs enabling the apparatus to be placed on the floor of the bed of a truck or on a vehicle trunk floor. First and second clips are attached intermediate opposite ends of the frame for holding the fishing rods at spaced points.
Other devices for holding elongate objects, such as umbrellas and the like, are shown and described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 290,371 and 3,661,270, which are, respectively entitled "Show Stand" and "Collapsible Coat Rack-Umbrella Stand Unit, issued, respectively, to Udell on Dec. 18, 1883, and to Lucci et al. on May 9, 1972. These two patents are exemplary of the art of stands for elongate objects.
In accordance with an aspect of the invention, there is shown and described a new and improved fishing pole stand apparatus, formed of economically available components fabricated in an economical manner.